


Failed Escape

by PolarGrizz47



Series: Uncharted Prompts [37]
Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 10:24:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9319496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolarGrizz47/pseuds/PolarGrizz47
Summary: Written for the prompt: "No. Oh, no. No no no. This can't happen. No. You can't die." Sam/Nate





	

“Nathan - c’mon, give me your hand,” Sam braced himself on his belly, outstretching his hand in the face of the chaos echoing around them. “I’ll pull you up!”

They were _home free_ now, just up and over the wall and they could leave that shitty prison behind forever. 

His brother nodded, glancing at the distance between them before lunging for it, grasping onto Sam’s elbow and locking himself there. “I gotcha,” Sam grunted, easily pulling the younger man up - something he’d done a thousand different times, although he usually wasn’t under such pressure - or gunfire for that matter.

Sullivan was right, this was a _terrible_ idea. This prison was a terrible idea.

Sam was certain his heart couldn’t beat any faster, hands trembling as he tugged Nathan closer. “C’mon, up you go,” He panted, only pausing as more shots ricocheted near them, his body instinctively ducking down. 

He could feel the way Nathan’s whole body tensed up, brown eyes rising hurriedly to his little brother’s features. “Nathan?” Sam questioned, brows drawing up in concern as Nathan’s weight seemed to increase tenfold, the other man no longer aiding in the attempt to tug himself up and over the wall. “Nathan!” He grunted as his brother began to slip back down, red spattering against Nathan’s lips as he coughed.

Rafe was crouched nearby, his eyes wide and disbelieving. A quick glance over Sam’s shoulder showed that the guards were creeping closer, his heart hammering in fear even as Sam struggled with Nathan’s increasingly dead weight. Rafe didn't even try helping, Nathan was a dead man either way.

“No,” Sam grunted, reaching down quickly to secure his free hand along the back of Nathan’s faded blue uniform, ignoring the pressure that tugged him down painfully against the edge of the concrete.

A bellow of worry and pain tumbled out of Sam as he forced himself to haul Nathan up, an arm protectively curling around his brother’s waist as he rolled them away from the side. Nathan was oddly silent, his face paled and expression shocked.

Sam felt his throat grow tight and dry upon seeing the red quickly spreading along Nathan’s middle, mirrored on his back with the entry wounds. 

“We’ve got to go,” Rafe spat out, grasping onto Sam’s shoulder as Nathan began to cough again, the red against his lips making their situation somehow worse. “ _Now_.”

“Yeah - just - hang on,” Sam managed, slinging one of Nathan’s arms around his own shoulder before hauling his younger brother up. “Lean on me, Nathan,” He ordered while wrapping his free arm around Nathan’s hips, grabbing onto his belt loops to keep him steady. “You can do this, we’re going to get out of this,” Sam added, mostly for his _own_ sake.

Nathan’s head lolled, a pained huff leaving him before another wet hack stained his mouth and chin with rolling red. 

* * *

“This way!” Rafe shouted, his form barely visible in the foliage around them. Sam’s heart was pounding, his thoughts racing as he half-dragged, half-carried Nathan through it all. His brother was well out of it, barely forming coherent words between his moans of pain and bloodied coughs. 

His throat bobbed with worry as they reached the cliff, the slope wet and rocky. Rafe slid down it without a moment’s hesitation, spurred on by fear of his own life that even the icy plunge awaiting them didn’t seem to scare him. Sam watched as the wealthy man vanished from sight, leaving a trail of mud and disturbed rock behind him. 

“Okay, Nathan,” He breathed, glancing towards his brother’s face and swallowing at the ghost like appearance he saw. “We can do this, just hold onto me,” Sam mumbled, making sure his grip on Nathan was tight before dragging them over the edge and allowing the muddy incline to drag them down.

He managed to catch a glimpse of Rafe swimming towards the boat before the water rushed upon them, a shocked cry from the impact and sheer _cold_ forcing itself from him.With Nathan’s extra weight, Sam had to fight to claw his way back to the surface, gasping for air. He splashed about with one arm, the other wound securely around Nathan’s middle.

The shock of the fall seemed to have roused his brother, Nathan’s blue eyes were dazed and his words slurred as he struggled to tread water. “Sam?” He croaked, voice tiny and fearful. 

“I’m right here,” Sam promised, willing himself to keep his voice strong even as fatigue set in, teeth clattering together as he watched Rafe haul himself into the boat. He waved a hand towards their partner, breathing a sigh of relief as the boat drifted closer. “Just stay with me, Nathan,” He mumbled, pressing a kiss to his brother’s soaking brow, “Don’t give up on me.”

* * *

“This is all we have?!” Sam shouted frantically, tearing through their meager medical supplies.

“It’s not like I have a fucking doctor on board!” Rafe shot back, “I’m going as fast as I can - but we’re still miles from the nearest port - let along the nearest _hospital_ -”

“Just - shut up!” Sam snapped, running a bloodied hand through his hair as he looked towards Nathan’s body, sprawled out in the boat. There was blood _everywhere_ , staining the seats and interior with a darkened hue. For a moment, Sam just stared, the reality of it all slapping him in the face. “No… oh, _no_ ,” He croaked, searching through the supplies with shaking hands.

Nathan blinked at him lazily, voice soft and weak as he begged, “Sam - _hurts_ -”

“I know,” Sam whispered, grabbing for the gauze as he pushed his brother’s bloodied shirt up. “I’m sorry, Nathan - just keep talking to me… what uh - what’s your favorite animal?”

His younger brother’s lips quirked into a weak smile, voice hoarse and slightly unsure as he managed, “Lemur - like ‘em… lemurs -” A sharp breath was sucked in between his reddened teeth, a cry of pain escaping him as Sam pushed against the worst of the wounds.

“I’m sorry - shhh, it’s okay - Nathan, it’s going to be _okay_ ,” Sam stressed while wrapping the wound tightly, blinking away the wetness that clung to his lashes. “Going to be alright, I promise.”

* * *

“No, no, no,” Sam muttered, pressing his freezing fingertips to Nathan’s neck, searching for a pulse. His brother’s lips were blue, eyes half-lidded and breathing shallow. “This can’t be _happening_ …”

Rafe kept checking the phone that he’d stored in the boat weeks beforehand, searching for a signal. But even then - who would they call? 

“Nathan?” Sam tried again, giving his brother a frantic shake. “Nathan! C’mon, don’t stop talking to me!” He swallowed down a sob, wiping a hand on his face, pushing his hair back, uncaring of the blood he got all over himself. He was already covered in it, freezing and damp from their brief plunge. Sam’s voice cracked as he begged, “Please, Nathan… _please_ …”

* * *

Rafe tried his best not to listen too much, hands trembling along the steering wheel as he watched the waves in front of them. His gut felt tight and heart heavy as Sam mourned and begged behind him, the smell of drying blood still somehow suffocating despite the wind tugging at them.

“ _No_ ,” Sam sobbed, curled up with Nathan’s form cuddled against his chest. He pressed his lips to Nathan’s forehead, tears rolling down his cheeks as he rocked them back and forth. “ _You_ can’t die,” He whispered, digging his fingers into the cold, bloodied material of Nathan’s clothes. “I was supposed to _keep you safe_ ,” Sam cried, voice muffled as he bowed his head with sorrow. 

* * *

“Sam?” Harry tried softly, voice unsure as he set a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “C'mon, mate… it’s getting chilly out here, you’ll catch a cold.” His eyes flickered to the new headstone in the cemetery, then back to Chloe and Cutter standing at the entrance of the graveyard. 

The older Drake just looked towards him blankly, eyes marred with dark bruises from a lack of sleep. He swallowed thickly and then merely shook his head, dull eyes going back to the grave. 

Harry’s hand slipped away, his voice reluctant as he managed, “If you need anyone, Samuel… we’re here for you, yeah?” He took a few steps away, sparing another glance towards the stone before turning away, feeling a bit lost. Chloe took his hand once he was close enough, her expression saddened as they left the frosty cemetery. 

* * *

Sam lifted his gaze from the snow clinging to Nathan’s gravestone, knees long ago numbed from his crouched position in the snow. He turned his head to the side, staring blankly at the shoe that moved closer before following the leg up. His eyes widened as he saw Victor standing there, expression carefully schooled but Sam easily recognized the _sorrow_ glinting in the older man’s eyes.

He sucked in a breath before bowing his head again, expelling a misty sigh. “I let him die,” Sam managed, voice cracking. “He was so _scared_ , Victor… I told him it’d be okay… I _promised_ him - ”

“Sam,” Sullivan whispered, setting a gloved hand on his shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault… Nathan knew that.”

All the air left his lungs in a strangled breath, Sam pressing a hand to his face as he curled into himself. Victor stood there silently, his thumb rubbing soothing circles onto the eldest Drake’s jacket, eyes focused on the headstone with a weariness he hadn’t felt in ages.

**Author's Note:**

> AGAIN, sorry, Nathan.


End file.
